Chapter Six
Ben hunched his shoulders against the early November wind as he made his way down Prairie’s main street to Dottie’s Diner. Leftover Halloween decorations still dotted the glass fronts of the stores, but soon enough they’d be replaced with evergreens, snowmen, and Santas.
The bell rang merrily as he pushed into Dottie’s and scanned the restaurant for a familiar face. The lunch rush was just beginning. Soon enough, it would be hard to find a seat. He slipped onto a stool at the counter and waved to Elaine, one of Dottie’s servers. She brought over a menu and a hot cup of coffee. He waved off the menu. “No need. Chicken fried steak and eggs. Hashbrowns and a biscuit.”
Elaine called out his order, and he reached for the latest copy of Rancher’s Monthly lying at the end of the co
